


Please don’t take him away from me..

by LetsBeExposedAndUnprotected



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:07:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24186385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetsBeExposedAndUnprotected/pseuds/LetsBeExposedAndUnprotected
Summary: Set after the episode Monday 11th May - Charity comes home from work that evening.
Relationships: Charity Dingle/Vanessa Woodfield
Comments: 2
Kudos: 97





	Please don’t take him away from me..

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written an argument before so I'm not sure how well this works - it's pretty dialogue heavy because you can't have an argument without saying stuff, right? And didn't want to describe every emotion, reaction, feeling etc and slow the pace down. Sorry if it therefore seems a bit weird.

Charity pulled her jacket tighter around her body against the cool night air as she wandered absentmindedly through the village after her shift, and was surprised to see the lights still on in the living room at Jacob’s Fold. She snuck through the front door, closing it behind her before turning to see Vanessa peeking over the top of the sofa looking at her.

“I was starting to wonder if you were coming back tonight.”

“Well I live here, don’t I?”

“I wasn’t too sure, you couldn’t get out of here quick enough earlier.”

“Yeah well, like I said I was needed at the pub.” She drops down onto the opposite end of the sofa, putting her bag down next to her.

Vanessa lets out a little huff. “And we all know that Charity Dingle and her life always comes first. Today was really important Charity. I wanted you to be there.”

“Wasn’t much point. You’ve made your choice, you don’t need me watching over proceedings.” Her heart still breaking too much to even be able to look at the other blonde.

“But this involves you too. You’re part of my life.”

Charity scoffs. “Are you sure? Doesn’t feel like it any more. Everything I do is wrong, nothing is good enough. Including my parenting skills. But we all knew that anyway, hardly breaking news is it?”

“Charity, this isn’t about you.”

“Yeah yeah, not everything’s about me, right”

“That’s not what I meant. This is about _Johnny_. I just need to know that he’ll be looked after if anything happens to me. I’m the only parent he’s got!”

Her irritation increases as she wonders just how Vanessa can think that after everything they’ve been through and all that she’s done for Vanessa and Johnny, and her voice comes out louder than she intends as the hurt and frustration course through her.

“You’re _not_ though are you?!” Her eyes flashing with anger.

“Well I don’t think Kirin is going to crawl out of the woodwork and suddenly be an amazing Dad. Not that I’d let him anywhere near Johnny anyway.”

“I’m not talking about _him_ , am I?!” Is she _really_ being this obtuse?

Vanessa looks at her blankly.

“I’m talking about _me_!”

Vanessa scoffs. “When _aren’t_ you..?”

Charity growls in frustration. “WHAT IS THE POINT?!? Do you know what. You clearly don’t need me. I clearly mean nothing to you.”

“What are you talking about?! Of _course_ you do! You’re my fiancée!”

“Oh, finally remembered have you?? Cos it doesn’t feel like it Vanessa!”

“Charity, what is this about?”

“What do you _think_ it’s about?? I thought we were a family. You, me, the boys. We’re meant to be getting married, spending the rest of our lives together, bringing up _our_ kids, but now you’d rather ship Johnny off to Rhona. Tell you what, why don’t you just marry her instead if she’s so much better than me, have the perfect little 2 point 4 family, avoid my crazy lot, eh?”

“You’re being ridiculous now!”

“Oh, _I’m_ being ridiculous?! Says the woman who doesn’t even trust her fiancée with what is essentially her own step-son!”

“You didn’t _want_ him! I saw the panic in your eyes when I asked you to have him!”

“NO Vanessa! You saw the blind fear of being faced with the prospect of losing _you_! Of losing the only person I’ve ever really loved. I can’t even _imagine_ my life without you. But if you do d….if I do have to live without you, then I don’t want to have to live without Johnny too because….because he’s the only part of you I would have left.” The words peter out as her heart constricts and she tries to suppress a sob.

Vanessa’s chin is wobbling and tears have sprung to her eyes. “Charity” she whispers shakily before moving forwards and grabbing one of her hands. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I _tried_! I tried to explain but you wouldn’t listen. And then you went running straight off to flippin’ Rhona.”

“Only because I thought you didn’t care.”

“Ness, how could I _not_ care? Johnny’s been part of my life for over two years. Him and Moses are like brothers. I want us all to be together. Always.” She pauses. “Well….maybe not _always_. They can bugger off as soon as they’re 18 and give us some peace.”

They both let out a wet chuckle before watery eyes connected.

“Please don’t take him away from me..” she begs

“I won’t. If you’re sure about this..”

“I love him, Ness”

“And I love you, Charity.”

“Pfffft, are you sure? Prize prat, me.”

“Well, you do have your moments. I’m sorry for not listening to you. I just got tunnel vision and I wanted to make sure everything was sorted with Johnny.”

“I get that, babe.”

“And I thought you didn’t want him and didn’t care about what was happening. I should have stopped for a second and realised that you were only acting that way because it was hurting you. I never meant to hurt you. Can you forgive me?”

“As long as you make me a promise..”

Vanessa eyes her suspiciously. “Go on..”

“Once this is sorted you stop worrying about ‘what ifs’ and concentrate on your chemo and on letting me look after you”

“Charity, I don’t need babysitting”

“It’s not babysitting, babe, chemo is tough - it’s gonna take it out of you. And I know you’re a tiny blonde rocket woman but you can’t do this by yourself. Please, just indulge me yeah, I can’t make you better or make this go away so I want to do whatever else I can to support you. We’re doing this together, remember?”

Vanessa relents, her shoulders dropping as she lets out a sigh, realising that Charity feels just as desperate as she does and just wants to help her. “Yeah, okay….just don’t go overboard, okay?”

“Promise.”

“Good. So shall I call the solicitor in the morning?”

“About that, babe. I erm….I got some paperwork organised months ago, when we were meant to get married. But then everything else happened and all our plans went to hell in a hand basket so I didn’t bring it up. So..”

She roots around in the handbag next to her before pulling out the documents she was looking for and handing them to Vanessa. Her eyes looking anywhere but at her fiancée, pushing her nervous hands under her legs because she, all of sudden, doesn’t know what to do with them. Vanessa looks down at the adoption and change of name forms absolutely stunned.

“Are….are you serious?”

“I mean, only if you want to. Obviously it’s completely up you. And I understand if you think it’s a naff idea”

“Charity..”

“But I just wanted him to be a Dingle and for us all to be a proper family.”

“Charity..”

“You don’t have to agree to it though babe. He’s your son..”

“Charity! Shut up and come here will you?” Charity allows herself to be pulled into Vanessa’s embrace, clinging to her as the pain and fear slowly ease now that everything’s out in the open.

Vanessa pulls back slightly looking at Charity with a little smile. “You do realise, though, that we won’t _all_ be Dingles if you don’t make an honest woman of me first?”

“Well, we can’t have that can we? Looks like me and you have got some organising to do.”

“I can’t wait”

Charity brings her hands up to gently cup Vanessa’s face before leaning in and placing a soft, chaste kiss on waiting lips. They both sit for a moment, foreheads touching, allowing the relief to wash over them.

“Mummy?” Johnny’s tired little voice drifts down the stairs.

Vanessa pulls Charity towards the stairs. “Come on, you go get ready for bed, and I’ll settle the kids. I might even let you be the little spoon”

“Babe, what you talking about? I’m always the little spoon”

Vanessa chuckles. “Yeah, you are, you big softie”

“Less of that thank you, I’ve got a reputation to keep up”

“Might have to mention it in my wedding speech”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

Vanessa winks cheekily before running up the stairs ahead of her fiancée. Charity follows her languidly, a crooked smile on her face, her heart no longer breaking.


End file.
